The Powell Panther girls’ soccer team garnered strong postseason honors after posting the best season in program history. Juniors Ivy Agee and Coy Erickson earned their third All-State honors alongside a repeat honor from senior Emily Orr — while sophomore Emery Hernandez earned her second straight All-Conference honors alongside freshman Jesi Agee.

ALL-STATE HONORS

The Panthers had the same recipients for All-State honors as last year, with the players receiving the honors for a number of different reasons.

Leading the way for the Panthers at the forefront was Ivy Agee, who led the team from her attacking midfield position while also playing some time at striker, finishing with 41 goals — a career high for a season while surpassing the 100 career goals mark.

“It’s always an honor earning an All-State award,” Agee said. “I definitely feel like I have improved and performed better this year than I did last year. My performance is something that I will continue to build on.”

Erickson and Orr earned their honors while primarily playing as defenders, with the duo performing consistently throughout the year, leading a much improved Panther defense to concede only 16 goals.

While Erickson ventured into the midfield at times, Orr served as a center back for a majority of the season while also contributing as an outside back when needed, a position with familiarity to Orr thanks to her club in the offseason.

“For my club team, the Gillette Edge, I play outside back, so I didn’t have to necessarily adjust to a new position which was nice,” Orr said. “I am very familiar with all the positions on the back line, and they all have their pros and cons. I love being an outside back because I have the freedom to go up the field, but I like center back as it is a position with more control and stability on the field.”

While continuing to improve a relationship from an All-State duo last year, Orr noted that it took a little time for the Panthers to reach their full defensive potential while bringing along some younger players in new positions.

“The relationship along the back line developed gradually throughout the season. With people playing new positions and having underclassmen on the back line, we were able to work together and learn each others’ tendencies as the season went on,” Orr said. “By the end, we all knew how each other played, and we were able to work really well together which I do believe contributed to the shutouts that we had.”

Agee said the relationship between that duo helped the team build towards their ultimate goal which resulted in the program’s first ever state championship game appearance.

“It meant a lot, those two have worked so hard and played a big part in the success we had during the season,” Agee said. “We realized how much we can actually achieve when we put our minds to it and work together as one unit. We kept building on the main things we were working on to become stronger tactically.”

Communication along the back line helped the Panthers to eight shutouts out of 16 contests, with Erickson noting the improved shape of the Panther defense. She added the defense  progressed thanks to the Panthers developing leads in games due to their strong attack. Erickson even chipped in a goal of her own to start the season.

“The defense has changed and gotten better in so many ways. This year we focused on our shape, where we should be and the timing of our steps,” Erickson said. “The communication between the back line helped a lot with the amount of goals that we scored this year.”

At the end of the season the Panthers were one of the top defensive teams while vying for Powell High School’s first ever state championship in soccer, something that Orr said she had not expected following her freshman year, a season in which the Panthers went 4-10-1.

“It was great to see how the team developed throughout the year to get better and land ourselves the opportunity to play in the state championship. We really did work hard, and we all knew that was the goal at the end of the season,” Orr said. “As a senior, my high school years have been building years for the program, and it has been great to be a part of. Coming from a struggling freshman season to ending my high school career as a state runner-up, it has been really eye opening what hard work and dedication can do for a team.”

Erickson gave credit to the team’s coach, as he has helped them improve their skills throughout the season and in previous years to help reach this point.

“I would give credit to Danny Agee. He has helped all girls build their skill and continues to do that all the time, but everybody continued to work hard, push each other at practice and we fixed things that were problems at the beginning of the season and that helped us get to where we ended,” Erickson said.

After falling just short of their ultimate goal, Agee is hopeful that this season will help motivate the program to take it one step further next year, finally reaching the peak of girls’ soccer and bringing home a state championship for a program that has seen success the past three seasons.

“It’s always possible to do something when we work hard for it,” Agee said. “Hopefully people will realize how close we got and want to become more eager to win a state title … (We are going) to keep aiming for the same goal that we have been working towards and keep improving on the elements that we’ve focused on through the previous three years.”

While Erickson and Agee are eligible to return for their senior seasons and attempt to reach that final goal, Orr will be saying goodbye to soccer following her second honors and a strong career as a Panther.

“Soccer has taught me the importance of hard work and perseverance. Soccer has also taught me the importance of staying true to myself and fighting against all odds. It can be hard when people don’t believe in you or your ability, but it’s so important to do everything you can to prove them wrong and impress them with your strengths; I will definitely be taking those lessons with me as I go into my college years,” Orr said. “I really want to thank the Gillette Edge and Powell community for helping me become the player and person that I am. Meeting so many people and creating amazing relationships with them has positively impacted me in so many ways, and I’m so grateful. Soccer will always be important to me, and it has truly opened up great opportunities that I will forever be in debt to.”

ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS

For the second straight year the Panthers had additional selections in the 3A West Conference, as two players who provided depth all over the pitch were honored as part of the All-Conference team.

Rotating throughout the lineup, both Jesi Agee and Hernandez played as a striker, midfielder or center back at various points throughout the season and sometimes even in the same game.

Agee got her nod as a forward following her freshman season, scoring six goals.

Hernandez received her honors this season in the midfield, finishing with five goals while also being a key part in the Panther’s defensive efforts.

Powell has a number of players eligible to return throughout the lineup next year, as the Panthers continue to chase that first title.